Perceived reasons for parental divorce : influence on young adults' attachment styles
Date
1996
Authors
Walker, Tavi R.
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Abstract
This study investigated the relationships among young adults' knowledge about their parents' divorce, the perceived reasons for the divorce (RPDQ), and attachment style as measured by The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) and The Relationships Scale Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994). Participants were 81 university students from homes where parents had separated or divorced. Results indicated that perceived reasons for parental divorce predicted attachment style but extent of knowledge did not. Overt anger of parents, perceived involvement of the children, and an extra-marital affair emerged as the salient variables in differentiating secure from insecure attachment styles. Results are discussed in terms of implications for divorcing parents, conducting therapy with children from divorced homes, and future research.